Killed BSP MLA's wife knew her murderers: police

Hours before Rehana Begum was gunned down, she was at a neighbour's house serving food she had cooked to the children there.

Police said Rehana, the wife of a BSP legislator from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, was killed sometime between 8pm and midnight on Tuesday, after she had returned from the neighbour's house.

Investigators, who suspect the role of someone known to Rehana in the murder, said she was last seen around 7pm when she had gone to the neighbour's place.

"She had lunch at our house. Around 6pm, she had come to serve food to our children," her neighbour said.

It seems that a .32 bore pistol with a silencer was used to kill Rehana, the police said.

Her house had been messed up to make the incident look like a robbery that went bad, the police feel.

The role of Rehana's husband, MLA Haji Alim Choudhary, and his family members are under the scanner, a senior officer said.

Two glasses of water and a couple of untouched cups of tea were found at Rehana's home, suggesting she knew her killers who were at least two in number.

Choudhary, who reportedly left for Mecca on Tuesday, has been asked to cut short his visit and join the investigation.

The BSP MLA's elder brother, Haji Shageer, has been picked up for questioning after he claimed Rs 15 lakh was missing from the house. He told the police that Rehana was supposed to leave for Bulandshahr for Bakri Id on Thursday.

Another brother, Haji Yunus, Rehana's two step sons and Choudhary's first wife Kahkasha, all living in Bulandshahr, have also been asked to join the investigation, the officer added.

Choudhary and his brother Haji Yunus have been slapped with non-bailable warrants in connection with a rape case, sources said.

Choudhary had met Rehana while on the Hajj. After their return, he would frequent her dance shows. They wedded in 1990.